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SFMTA highlights Vision Zero gains, urges continued grants and evaluation; neighborhoods push for lighting and crossing improvements
Summary
The SFMTA’s pedestrian program manager updated supervisors on Vision Zero progress and data showing older pedestrians and high‑injury corridors (Tenderloin, SoMa) face the greatest risk; agency seeks continued grant funding for outreach, evaluation and demonstration projects while community advocates asked for more pedestrian‑level lighting and school crossing guard expansion.
Hava (Chava) Cronenberg, SFMTA pedestrian program manager, briefed the committee on Vision Zero priorities and data showing the city’s most severe injuries and fatalities are concentrated on a small high‑injury network of streets and disproportionately affect older pedestrians.
“When you're asked about pedestrian safety, the reason we talk about Vision Zero is because 70 percent of the people who will die are people who are walking,” Cronenberg said, presenting injury mapping developed with the Department of Public Health and hospital data to capture incidents not reported to police.
Cronenberg outlined capital targets (about 13 miles of improved streets per year; a $57 million annual program level in upcoming budgets), and said outreach/education and enforcement campaigns are funded largely by one‑time competitive grants. She asked the committee to support evaluations that measure the impact of Safe People and Safe Vehicle programs, and to fund live demonstration pop‑ups to build community support for street designs.
Community representatives (Walk SF, Families for Safe Streets and the Vision Zero Coalition) supported funding for a Safe Streets for People with Disabilities program, additional streetscape investments (curb ramps, benches), expanded outreach/demonstrations and school safety education such as Ed’s Neighborhood.
Supervisors discussed crossing guard staffing (MTA reported plans to add 20 positions, from 195 to 215) and funding coordination options through police overtime grants and other city budget lines. The committee did not adopt immediate budget changes but flagged pedestrian safety as a cross‑cutting priority across departments.
